The National tribune., 1887-05-05

direction then, and that probably all those thew
cared for were dead that some of their com
rades had died and were buried on the island
and they proposed to stay there themselves for
the rest of their lives.
This story did not satisfy me- and began
/ investigations; but before had gone very far
l came across another item in a Harrodsburg
| lky.l paper, which, alluding to the first item
that had read, attempted to dispose Of it very
enectually. III said that a young man, the son
/ OF wealthy farmer living in the vicinity OF
/ HarrOdsburg, bad joined the party which had
htted out the schooner. the name of which was
not the FlOrinda, but the Florida, which sailed
| from New Orleans in July, 1910, and reached
the Straits of Magellan after a safe and pleasant
voyage. They had cast anchor near the en-
trance and close to a war ship of the Chill
ian Government, stationed there to guard
the penal colony that is maintained there.
The young Kentuckian had the middle
watch that night, and as the discipline was
slack on board the bark he threw himself
down on pile OF sails on the deck and fell
into slight doze. He was aroused by a
noise, and, half awake he saw six desperate
looking men climb up the side Of the ship He
obeyed his hrst Impulse. which was to run to
the other side of the vessel, spring into n boat
lying there, cast adrift and row toward the
guard ship, yelling "Murderl" at the top of his
voice. by the time the crew Of the guard ship
were aroused they could see the schooner with
all sails set sweep away out of reach Some
time after the vessel was overhauled by some
armed cruiser and carried into Valparaiso.
where the six escaped eonvicts were recognized
by the authorities and garroted, the execution
being reported to our officials and witnessed by
an American who happened to be travelling in
that section. The young Kentuckian came
home, went overland to California, and died
there.
This story did not satisfy me about the fate
OF the Florinda, either, for I remembered that
one day when our schooner was lying in the
harbor / went down to Capt. Jones, and he
pointed out TO me another schooner and he said ::
other vessel
"I said, What is it,
"'Well,' said he, she is fitted out, as our
schooner is for a trip around Cape Horn to
California. Her name is the Florida, while ours
is the Florinda; but would not 20 in her for
the whole of California
"'Why not?' / asked
80 Because said he. her crew is made IN of
gamblers and barkeepers, and that class Of
sporting men. They have no idea of discipline,
and they are pretty certain to come to trouble
"A year or two after this account had ap-
peared In the paper, / went to New Orleans
and called on my old friend Charlie Parker of
the PicGyne, and he became interested with
me IN ascertaining how much truth there was
In these reports as to the fate of the FlOrinda
and her crew.
"After quite long search finally found that
Mrs. Jones, the widow Of the Captain, was re-
siding IN CarrOllton, one of the suburbs of New
Orleans, and Immediately sprang on the cars
and went to her residence. We had a long
talk about these various reports and she told
me that she had spent thousands of dollars in
investigating their truth, and trying to secure
definite information of the fate of her husband
and those who accompanied him. She had in
terested the State Department at Washington,
which had made inquiries in all the seafaring
places OF Europe, and every possible elew had
been pursued until it ended or was lost All,
however, had been fruitless. No tidngs had
apparently ever reached any seaport of the
vessels fate. As / had surmised, the story in
the Harrodsburg paper was correct, and the
Florida's fate had been as related but it was
the Florida and not the FlOrinda' Finally,
toward the conclusion of the interview, said
to Mrs. Jones:
Have you had absolutely no information as
to your husbands fare2'
"She hesitated moment and then said:
You know am not superstitious?'
NO said I, nor am L.
90 But STILL continued she, Il have what I
believe is positive information
What is it2' asked
Al thO OCCCiuOcI lOllOWluE nv 0uSDa0I8
departure from New Orleans / was with nv
grandmother in Massachusetts,, whittier I had
gone because / could not bear to stay any
longer in New Orleans. 1t was, if you remem-
Der, season of great storms all over the world.
/ was sleeping in bed with one of my children.
but in the middle of the night was awakened
from terrible dream. i saw nv husbands
vessel in the midst of a frightful storm. One
moment she would apparently sink to the bot
tom OF the sea, and then, when had given up
all hope she would rise again. Finally she dis
appeared, and suddenly felt grasp upon my
shoulder as palpable as if you had laid your
hand there. Turning | saw my husband, his
face CHASTITY pale, his hair dripping with sea
water. He looked at me with unutterable
sadness, and in his eyes despair / am con-
vinced as much as anything that that was the
moment his vessel sank beneath the waves
Nor am / superstitiouS. Mrs. Jones' said,
but l believe that that visitation was intended
to inform you as to his fate
"She paused a moment, and then said This
is to me the saddest day of the year.
"'Why?' said /.
90 Because she answered, this is the ami
versary of the day / received that message
- Is it not singular said I, the sudden
thought striking me, that here for weeks I
had been searching for you, and only an hour
ago found out where you were, and came di-
Tectly to you. There must be something more
than a coincidence in this"